GM restructures its software divisions under Sterling Anderson to accelerate technology development, while a top software exec steps down. Stellantis and LG's Canadian battery plant shifts focus from EV cells to energy storage amid market slowdowns. Samsung partners with BMW and Solid Power to develop solid-state batteries promising higher energy density. China eases chip export restrictions, potentially easing automotive supply chain issues. Renault and Geely deepen their partnership in Brazil, and Geely reports strong sales growth. Weimo plans autonomous vehicle regulatory engagement in Canada. Toyota unveils a hydrogen-powered Tacoma Overlander concept with innovative water recovery for outdoor use.
Topics:gm software restructuringstellantis lg battery plantsolid state batterieschina chip export restrictionsrenault geely partnershipgeely sales growthweimo autonomous vehiclestoyota hydrogen tacoma concept
- GM Restructures Software Development - NextStar Won’t Produce EV Batteries Anytime Soon - Samsung Partners with BMW On Solid-State Batteries - China Eases Export Restrictions on Chips - Renault To Build Geely Vehicles in Brazil - Renault In Talks with China OEMs To Jointly Build Cars - Geely Tops 300K Monthly Sales For 1st Time - Waymo Eyes Canada Expansion - Toyota Reveals Fuel Cell Powered Tacoma Concept
"... showering, but not recommended for drinking. The Tacoma H two Overlander concept was created by the Toyot..."
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Speaker 1: This is Online Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry. GM says it's going to combine
its software in product divisions into one organization, and as a result, it's losing one of its top software executives.
The company's vehicle, software engineering and global product teams will now be brought together in an effort to speed up how GM develops and implements new technology. The new organization
will be led by Sterling Anderson, who was hired in May as Executive VP of Global Product and Chief Product Officer.
Anderson previously helped develop the Tesla Model X and autopilot, and co founded autonomous trucking company Aurora that experienced No doubt played a role in GM having the confidence to give a more responsibility with its software division. However, the
company's former senior VP of Software and Services Engineer Dave Richardson, has quote elect to step down from his role at GM. Richardson,
a former Apple executive, was brought into GM along with another Apple exec in June of last year to take over for the company's former head of Software, Mike Abbott, who left due to health reasons. Due to current ev
market conditions, that five billion dollar battery plant that Stillantis and LG built in Canada is not going to make cells for electric vehicles anytime soon. Their partnership called Nextstar Energy,
was established in twenty twenty two and was supposed to make batteries for Stilantis EV's built across North America. But
Stillantis and most other automakers have pulled back on some of their EV plans, which is why Nextstar is quote expecting a prolonged slowdown in the EV market, so it's transitioning to energy storage systems. While that might seem like
a bad thing, next Star says there will be little difference and expects to need about the same amount of workers.
It will run two shifts on one line to start, and hopes to add another line and more workers in the future. Energy storage systems is an expanding market, and
Tesla even just reached a two point one billion dollar agreement with Samsung SDI to supply it with batteries for energy storage systems over the next three years. And speaking
of Samsung, it's joining BMW's efforts to develop all solid state batteries. BMW has been working on the tech since
twenty sixteen, with startup solid Power, which it's also invested in.
Solid Power will supply sulfide base solid electrolyte to Samsung, which it will use to build cells that will then be evaluated for use in test vehicles. The companies say
the all solid state batteries offer increased energy density and longer vehicle ranges than current batteries.
Speaker 2: Ford is also.
Speaker 1: An investor in Solid Power, but it's not part of this partnership, and good news for auto makers they should soon be getting relief from that Nexperia chip shortage. China
agreed to loosen export restrictions as part of last week's trade talks with President Trump. China's Commerce ministry released a
statement over the weekend saying that it will allow eligible companies to be exempted from its export ban. However, China
didn't say when it will grant exemptions or when they'll take effect. Automakers have been warning for the last several
weeks that production could soon be halted because of the chip shortage, and it all started when China banned Experia exports in retaliation to the Dutch government taking control of the company. Nexspurias based in the Netherlands, but it's owned
by Chinese company Wingtech.
Speaker 3: The automotive and industrial sectors are undergoing an historic transformation electrification, digitalization, supply chain reinvention, regulatory shifts. The pace is accelerating and
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Speaker 1: Renault and Gili are making a partnership, they announced early this year official Gili bought a twenty six point four percent stake in Renault's Brazil operations. As part of that investment,
Renault will start making both Renault and Glely branded vehicles at its plant in Brazil, and Gili gets access to Renault sales and service centers in the country. Gili's Ex
five and electric suv is already on sale at Renault dealerships in the region, but a whole lineup of Gili's zero zero and low emission vehicles will eventually be offered in Brazil. As for its part, Renault will be able
to increase production at that plant, plus it will get access to Gili's GEA platform so it can develop its own zero and low emission vehicles for Brazil. And Renault
must really be seeing some benefit from this partnership because Reuter's reports that it's also in Talx with other Chinese automakers like Cherry to jointly produce and sell cars. However,
there are no new projects to announce at this time, and going back to Gili for a moment, I thinks Delantis could take a page from its book. We once
worried that Gili had too many brands, but it has started to make moves to consolidate. It merged Zeker and
Lincoln Co, then took Zeker private again. It also integrated
to other brands it controlled into one called Gili Galaxy, and the moves could be starting to pay off. Gilie
sold more than three hundred thousand vehicles in a single month for the first time ever. The official number was
just over three hundred and seven thousand units, up thirty five percent compared to last year, and for the full year, it sold nearly two point five million vehicles, an increase of over forty four percent. A lineup full of both
hybrid and electric vehicles, is allowing JIL to adapt to market conditions, and it's even going to buy out an old GMSAIC plant to make its enyvs. It looks like
Weimo wants to expand into Canada. Records show the consultants
working on behalf of Weimo registered to lobby the Canadian government on autonomous vehicle regulations, while the filings don't indicate Weimo is planning to operate in Canada. In a statement
to Automotive News, Weimo said it is pushing for regulations that will quote allow us to serve Canadians in the future.
Weimo entered its first international market, Japan in April, and next year it plans to test vehicles in the UK.
There is currently autonomous vehicle testing in Canada, but not for ride hailing. It's mostly focused on commercial vehicles or
more limited programs like autonomous shuttles running on fixed routes or delivery robots with no passengers. Toyota is showing off
a hydrogen powered to coma over landing concept that the Semas show in Las Vegas. The truck features a second
generation Marie fuel stack and three hydrogen tanks housed within its frame rails. The powertrain also includes a nearly twenty
five kilowide hour battery pack, along with a front and rear electric motor that combined for five hundred and forty seven horse power. One of the truck's unique features is
an exhaust water recovery system, which captures and filters one of the only byproducts of a fuel cell stack water and uses it for camping and outdoor use. The water
is essentially distilled, containing no minerals, making it suitable for washing and showering, but not recommended for drinking. The Tacoma
H two Overlander concept was created by the Toyota Racing Development engineering teams in California and North Carolina. But that
brings us to the end of today's show. Thanks for
making autoline a part of your day.
Speaker 2: Auto Line Daily is brought to you by alex Partners.
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